145893: Discussion of the rulings on Muslims joining in the celebrations of Muslims and non-Muslims

I am writing because there are some Muslims in some mosque who did something strange. I was one of those who attended a private meeting with a Christian minister last week, and Allah willed that I should be there. In this meeting, a shaykh and three of the sisters tried to organise a religious celebration, by carrying candles and walking with followers of other religions, then they walked around the lake where the celebration was held. Hence I hope that you can explain how I can tell them that this is bid‘ah (innovation) and how can I prove to them that this is not correct according to the Qur’an and Sunnah? May Allah reward you with good.

Praise be to Allaah.

Celebrations are of different types, and the
rulings on them vary accordingly, whether those celebrations are held by
Muslims or non-Muslims. In discussing this matter we may note the following
points:

1.

It is not permissible for the Muslim to take
part in the religious celebrations of the kuffaar and it is not permissible
for them to congratulate them on those occasions at all. This is the most
serious kind of celebration in terms of sin, because it may lead the one who
does that to kufr.

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him)
said:

Congratulating the kuffaar on the rituals
that belong only to them is haraam by consensus, as is congratulating them
on their festivals and fasts by saying ‘A happy festival to you’ or ‘May you
enjoy your festival,’ and so on. If the one who says this has been saved
from kufr, it is still forbidden. It is like congratulating someone for
prostrating to the cross, or even worse than that. It is as great a sin as
congratulating someone for drinking wine, or murdering someone, or having
illicit sexual relations, and so on.

Ahkaam Ahl adh-Dhimmah

Adh-Dhahabi said: If the Christians have a
festival and the Jews have a festival, then that is exclusively for them, so
no Muslim should join them in that as he does not join them in their
religion or their direction of prayer

The scholars differed concerning the ruling
on attending celebrations of the non-Muslims on their special occasions such
as marriage, recovering from sickness and return from travel. The most
correct scholarly opinion is that it is permissible on condition that it
serves a legitimate shar‘i interest, such as opening their hearts to Islam
or calling them to the faith.

For a detailed discussion of that, please
see the answer to question no.
127500

3.

On occasions and celebrations that are
unique to the kuffaar, it is not permissible for the Muslim to imitate the
kuffaar in dress, eating certain types of food or activities that are
exclusive to these occasions. That includes lighting candles and walking
around with them.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have
mercy on him) said:

It is not permissible for the Muslims to
imitate them in any way that is unique to their festivals, whether it be
food, clothes, bathing, lighting fires or refraining from usual work or
worship, and so on. And it is not permissible to give a feast or to exchange
gifts or to sell things that help them to celebrate their festivals, or to
let children and others play the games that are played on their festivals,
or to adorn oneself or put up decorations.

In general, (Muslims) are not allowed to
single out the festivals of the kuffaar for any of these rituals or customs.
Rather the day of their festivals is just an ordinary day for the Muslims,
and they should not single it out for any activity that is part of what the
kuffaar do on these days.

Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa,
25/329

4.

It is not permissible for the Muslim to
attend celebrations of the kuffaar or the Muslims in which there is
propagation of any false religion or ideology, or in which there is praise
for any deviant idea or belief.

It is not permissible for the Muslim to
attend any celebration of the kuffaar or the Muslims if it is done in the
manner of a repeated festival every year or every month and so on, like
birthdays and Mother’s Day.

It is not permissible for the Muslim to
attend any celebration of the kuffaar or the Muslims that is a haraam
celebration in terms of the occasion, such as Valentine’s Day, the birthday
of an evildoer or tyrant, or the anniversary of the founding of any group or
party that is based on kufr or immorality.

Once you understand what is stated above, it
will be clear to you that this gathering is haraam, as is what happened in
it, because of the mixing and the imitation of the kuffaar by lighting
candles and walking around with them, as well as veneration of that false
religion and propagation thereof, not just because of keeping quiet about
it, but also because of joining in and showing respect for its rituals in
that haraam gathering.